With just a few simple changes to the products you use every day, you can save yourself a ton of money over the space of a year. By introducing new green items and products into your life, you'll reduce the amount of energy you use and how much trash you throw away.

Here is a short list of 3 green tips that will help you make sustainable lifestyle choices that will not only benefit the planet but keep your wallet fatter, too. And who couldn't use more money, right?

1. Switch to LED Lighting

If you switch out your light bulbs for compact fluorescent light bulbs, you can reduce your energy use by 66 percent – plus they will last roughly 10 times longer than an incandescent light bulb. But if you're looking to save even more energy and money, LED lighting is the way to go!

Want to see exactly how much you can save? Use this calculator to view the cost benefits of LED bulbs over incandescent bulbs based on where you live.

2. Try a Reusable Water Bottle

For just a few dollars, you can purchase a durable reusable water bottle, which would save you hundreds of dollars a year on bottled water. With the recommended eight glasses of water a day, at U.S. tap rates equals about $.49 per year; that same amount of bottled water is about $1,400, according to Ban the Bottle. So, the next time you go to reach for a plastic water bottle, choose a reusable water bottle instead.

3. Make Your Own Home Cleaning Products

Commercial cleaning products contain toxic chemicals that can not only affect the air you breathe but be harmful to you, your children, and pets. Instead of using Windex for instance, try a mixture of vinegar and water for your windows, glass surfaces, and mirrors. You'll get the same shine but at a lower cost with no harmful toxins.

Hop over to the Big Green Purse for a full list of affordable cleaning products and how to make them.

Green Tips 

Do you have any green tips you can share with our readers? If so, please share them in the comments below.